The Snakey Wake (live performance)
The Snakey Wake was a live performance by The Residents at a memorial service for their recently deceased collaborator and friend Philip "Snakefinger" Lithman, on August 24th 1987. The performance also featured the last known public appearance of the Bavarian avant-garde music theorist N. Senada. The Residents later re-recorded this performance in the studio, and released it as the UWEB EP The Snakey Wake in December 1988. Later reissues of the EP contain the complete recording of the original performance at Lithman's memorial. The original recording was released as a standalone Robot Selling Device EP, Live At The Snakey Wake, in 2010. History Philip "Snakefinger" Lithman had been a long-time friend of The Residents, collaborating with them since their earliest recordings and performances, and had most recently appeared with them on their 13th Anniversary Show tour in 1986. Lithman also had a solo career outside of his work with The Residents, releasing a number of solo albums on Ralph Records in the late 1970s and 1980s. Lithman died unexpectedly in Austria on July 1st 1987 of a heart attack, and his funeral was held in his home country of England. The Residents and a number of other mutual friends were unable to attend the service, and so held their own memorial for Lithman, referred to as "The Snakey Wake". This memorial was held in San Francisco on August 24th 1987. at The Snakey Wake]] The Residents arrived dressed in black, wrapped in black netting, and carrying black umbrellas. Snakefinger's friends supplied mementos which were packaged and tied to large black balloons The Residents had inflated during the laments, and which were released into the sky at the end of the night. The performance was their first use of a computer for live music performance, which opened the door to their 1989 tour Cube-E, and other, later touring performances. The Snakey Wake also featured the last known public appearance of the elderly avant-garde music theorist N. Senada, who met, befriended and mentored The Residents and Snakefinger in the early 1970s. Senada performed his collaborations with the group, "Eloise", "Sandman", and "Kamakazi Lady", in a manner similar to his role in the group's earliest performances. Senada would himself pass away in 1993. The Residents, unsure of the quality of the recording of the live performance, recreated the Snakey Wake in the studio, releasing it as a limited edition EP through their fan club UWEB in 1988. The recording of the original performance featured on later reissues of this EP, as well as appearing as a standalone Robot Selling Device digital release in 2010. Set list * Six More Miles (To The Graveyard) * Lament * Exotica * Primal * Depart N. Senada Live At The Snakey Wake * Eloise * Sandman * Kamakazi Lady ''Live At The Snakey Wake'' Robot Selling Device EP (2010) In 2010, The Residents released the original recording of The Snakey Wake as a standalone Robot Selling Device release, titled Live At The Snakey Wake. The release also includes the N. Senada performance. Track listing #Snakey Wake 1 (5:43) #Snakey Wake 2 (7:30) #Snakey Wake 3 (2:53) #Snakey Wake 4 (3:45) #Snakey Wake 5 (2:14) #N. Senada Set (6:41) Notes from Robot Selling Device Snakefinger died July 1st, 1987, while on tour. In August, The Residents, as well as other San Francisco friends, joined in a celebration of his life and music called The Snakey Wake. The group had not performed live without Snakefinger as a musical companion since 1983. The only way they saw to do so was to perform with the computer. They quickly developed a stylized sound to use for the short performance which is featured here. They felt uncertain about the performance enough that they have previously only released a studio version of that night. This is a recording of the actual live event. It is their first use of a computer for music and opened the door for Cube-E live and a world of recordings. It launched their new career with Ryko and the release of ''God In Three Persons'' in 1988. In many ways, this recording is the dividing line between the old Residents and the new Residents. This event forced the group to rethink their direction and plans. Joining the tribute at the end of The Residents section was a brief appearance by The Mysterious N. Senada, also included in this recording. See also *Snakefinger *''The Snakey Wake'' *The 13th Anniversary Show External links and references *The Snakey Wake at The Residents Historical *The Snakey Wake at RZWeb *[https://www.discogs.com/The-Residents-Live-At-The-Snakey-Wake/release/2901357 Live At The Snakey Wake at Discogs] Category:The Snakey Wake Category:Snakefinger Category:Live shows Category:The 13th Anniversary Show